<p>Hyderabad: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has decided to stay away from the vice-presidential election scheduled for Tuesday.</p><p>The regional party holds four seats in the Rajya Sabha, making its stance significant in this closely watched contest.</p>.VP polls on September 9: A look back at how India has voted for its vice presidents.<p>While the I.N.D.I.A. bloc has nominated Justice B Sudershan Reddy, a fellow Telugu leader, as its vice presidential candidate, the voting preferences of YSRCP and BRS from the Telugu states both of which remain unaligned with either major coalition had generated considerable interest. </p><p>In contrast, other regional parties like the TDP and Jana Sena, key BJP allies in Andhra Pradesh, have little choice but to support the NDA candidate, CP Radhakrishnan.</p>.'My rival is not speaking': I.N.D.I.A. bloc's VP candidate Sudershan Reddy seeks 'healthy' debate.<p>Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had invoked Telugu pride, appealing to all Telugu MPs from both Telugu states to vote for Justice Sudershan Reddy. </p><p>However, the YSRCP had already announced its support for the NDA candidate, and now the BRS has decided to abstain from the polling altogether.</p><p>BRS Working President KT Rama Rao explained the party's position, stating that both vice presidential candidates represent their respective alliances NDA and INDIA rather than contesting as individuals.</p>.V-P polls: Oppn candidate B Sudershan Reddy urges MPs to vote for 'spirit of India'.<p>KTR said both Congress and BJP have failed Telangana's farmers. "For the last 20 days, BRS has been warning both state and central governments about the shortage of urea. Yet they have failed to respond. As a mark of protest and in solidarity with 71 lakh Telangana farmers, BRS has decided not to participate in the Vice President election. If NOTA was an option, we would have chosen it," he said.</p><p>BRS has been electorally fighting both BJP and Congress in Telangana, pushing the regional party into a dilemma that ultimately led to its decision to boycott the election.</p><p>A Telangana Congress leader criticised BRS's decision, highlighting the party's diminished influence. "The party has zero Lok Sabha seats, only four members in the Rajya Sabha, and no role in the Vice Presidential elections. Ironically, the man who once claimed he would lead the nation could not even ensure his party's participation in a simple Vice Presidential vote. Now, fresh discussions within the party suggest that BRS's decision to boycott the Vice Presidential elections is indirectly meant to help the BJP."</p><p>The leader drew a stark comparison, "While BRS stayed away, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has serious rivalries with Congress in four states, still chose to vote for the INDIA candidate despite distancing itself from the alliance. This further highlights BRS's political isolation."</p><p>The Congress leader added that BRS's electoral decline has been dramatic. "In 2014, after Telangana was formed, BRS won 11 of 17 Lok Sabha seats. In 2019, the party won nine seats. But the 2024 elections were a disaster; the party lost every single seat. In the Rajya Sabha too, BRS's strength fell from seven members to just four. Today, the party has no influence in national politics," he added.</p><p><strong>YSRCP's clear support for NDA</strong></p><p>Interestingly, YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy personally informed Justice Reddy of his party's decision to support the NDA candidate.</p><p>A few days ago, Justice Reddy spoke over the phone with Jagan and requested his support. Responding, Jagan recalled that even before the I.N.D.I.A. bloc had announced its candidate, the NDA had approached him seeking support for their nominee, and he had already assured them of his backing.</p><p>Jagan added that he holds Justice Reddy in high esteem and praised his invaluable services to the nation through the judiciary. He commended the Justice for his significant contributions toward protecting the Constitution and safeguarding the spirit of democracy. However, he made it clear that since he had already committed to the NDA candidate, he would not be able to support the I.N.D.I.A. bloc candidate in this election and requested that this not be misunderstood.</p><p>YSRCP has 11 seats across both houses of Parliament. Party Rajya Sabha member YV Subba Reddy met with Radhakrishnan on Sunday and pledged YSRCP's support. On Monday, he supervised mock polling of the YSRCP MPs.</p>
<p>Hyderabad: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has decided to stay away from the vice-presidential election scheduled for Tuesday.</p><p>The regional party holds four seats in the Rajya Sabha, making its stance significant in this closely watched contest.</p>.VP polls on September 9: A look back at how India has voted for its vice presidents.<p>While the I.N.D.I.A. bloc has nominated Justice B Sudershan Reddy, a fellow Telugu leader, as its vice presidential candidate, the voting preferences of YSRCP and BRS from the Telugu states both of which remain unaligned with either major coalition had generated considerable interest. </p><p>In contrast, other regional parties like the TDP and Jana Sena, key BJP allies in Andhra Pradesh, have little choice but to support the NDA candidate, CP Radhakrishnan.</p>.'My rival is not speaking': I.N.D.I.A. bloc's VP candidate Sudershan Reddy seeks 'healthy' debate.<p>Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had invoked Telugu pride, appealing to all Telugu MPs from both Telugu states to vote for Justice Sudershan Reddy. </p><p>However, the YSRCP had already announced its support for the NDA candidate, and now the BRS has decided to abstain from the polling altogether.</p><p>BRS Working President KT Rama Rao explained the party's position, stating that both vice presidential candidates represent their respective alliances NDA and INDIA rather than contesting as individuals.</p>.V-P polls: Oppn candidate B Sudershan Reddy urges MPs to vote for 'spirit of India'.<p>KTR said both Congress and BJP have failed Telangana's farmers. "For the last 20 days, BRS has been warning both state and central governments about the shortage of urea. Yet they have failed to respond. As a mark of protest and in solidarity with 71 lakh Telangana farmers, BRS has decided not to participate in the Vice President election. If NOTA was an option, we would have chosen it," he said.</p><p>BRS has been electorally fighting both BJP and Congress in Telangana, pushing the regional party into a dilemma that ultimately led to its decision to boycott the election.</p><p>A Telangana Congress leader criticised BRS's decision, highlighting the party's diminished influence. "The party has zero Lok Sabha seats, only four members in the Rajya Sabha, and no role in the Vice Presidential elections. Ironically, the man who once claimed he would lead the nation could not even ensure his party's participation in a simple Vice Presidential vote. Now, fresh discussions within the party suggest that BRS's decision to boycott the Vice Presidential elections is indirectly meant to help the BJP."</p><p>The leader drew a stark comparison, "While BRS stayed away, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has serious rivalries with Congress in four states, still chose to vote for the INDIA candidate despite distancing itself from the alliance. This further highlights BRS's political isolation."</p><p>The Congress leader added that BRS's electoral decline has been dramatic. "In 2014, after Telangana was formed, BRS won 11 of 17 Lok Sabha seats. In 2019, the party won nine seats. But the 2024 elections were a disaster; the party lost every single seat. In the Rajya Sabha too, BRS's strength fell from seven members to just four. Today, the party has no influence in national politics," he added.</p><p><strong>YSRCP's clear support for NDA</strong></p><p>Interestingly, YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy personally informed Justice Reddy of his party's decision to support the NDA candidate.</p><p>A few days ago, Justice Reddy spoke over the phone with Jagan and requested his support. Responding, Jagan recalled that even before the I.N.D.I.A. bloc had announced its candidate, the NDA had approached him seeking support for their nominee, and he had already assured them of his backing.</p><p>Jagan added that he holds Justice Reddy in high esteem and praised his invaluable services to the nation through the judiciary. He commended the Justice for his significant contributions toward protecting the Constitution and safeguarding the spirit of democracy. However, he made it clear that since he had already committed to the NDA candidate, he would not be able to support the I.N.D.I.A. bloc candidate in this election and requested that this not be misunderstood.</p><p>YSRCP has 11 seats across both houses of Parliament. Party Rajya Sabha member YV Subba Reddy met with Radhakrishnan on Sunday and pledged YSRCP's support. On Monday, he supervised mock polling of the YSRCP MPs.</p>